The heart and soul of any gumbo recipe is the dark roux, a long-cooked combination of oil and flour, which typically takes at least 15 minutes of moderate heat and steady stirring. Since that was half of the time we were willing to commit to the entire stew, the solution to coming up with a quick gumbo recipe, then, was to multitask. We decided to cook the roux in one pan while we assembled the rest of the dish in another and then combine the two for a final simmer. Kielbasa can be substituted for the andouille. Be sure to look at the ingredient list of the spice mixture before using; many mixtures have a high proportion of salt, which may make additional seasoning unnecessary.

MAKING THE MINUTES COUNT: Prepare the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery while the roux browns. Place your cutting board near the stove so you can keep an eye on the roux. If this isn’t possible, prep the sausage and vegetables ahead.

1. MAKE THE ROUX AND SAUCE: Whisk 3 tablespoons of oil and flour together in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking occasionally until mixture is color of an old copper penny, about 15 minutes. Slowly whisk in clam juice and water and bring to simmer. Continue to simmer until needed in step 3.